The time for the class of 2020 to apply for college is now, and the Counseling department is here to help students figure out the application process.

With the workload from school starting to pile up, it is important for seniors to begin writing their application essays before it is too late. To start filling out their applications, seniors need to make an account on the Common App website. After that, seniors can choose the colleges they would like to apply to. The website also tells you which colleges accept the common application and which ones seniors will need to write a different essay for. At this point the seniors can start filling out the general information section of the application.

         The essay portion of the application is the part that takes most of the work. There are 7 different prompts students can choose to write on for their application. Only essays that are 250-650 words long will be accepted. It is important to remember, especially since many schools are not requiring test scores, that the essay is a great way for seniors to stand out to colleges as a student they want to have study on their campus. One of the best ways to make a great essay is for seniors to tell a story about themself so they can show their maturity and make their essay memorable for the reader. If a senior’s essay is both impressive and memorable, a college will very likely choose that person over others who may have the same grades, test scores, or background.

For more information about how to apply to college, please visit the newsletter the counseling department has been putting together all summer that talks about all things college, which you can find at https://www.smore.com/g7esp . From there you can find very helpful webinars that explain the whole application process.